GabyThis was shared by Jim Duchovny, the CEO of the California startup Alef Aeronautics, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. By the way, he has roots in Kyiv.
The list of pre-orders for the Alef Model A, which started back in 2023, is already quite long. And this is despite the hefty price of the car – 300 thousand US dollars.
Unlike most flying cars This model can drive on roads like an ordinary car. Eight propellers hidden under the body help the vehicle take off vertically at any moment. Of course, it also has regular wheels.
What is special about this model?
The lightweight Alef Model A car, weighing around 380 kg, appears even more delicate due to its clever design and engineering solution. Its body is covered with a mesh that allows air to pass through and helps maintain balance in the air.
The model with vertical takeoff and landing has a range on the road of 322 kilometers and an air range of 177 kilometers (that is, without recharging).
On the ground, the speed of the vehicle is limited to 40-50 km/h. Thus, this combined model can be classified as an ultra-light “low-speed vehicle.” Golf carts, for example, fall under the same classification.
The Alef Model A boasts a reliable security system as well as a flight stabilization computer system.
According to Mr. Dukhovni, this flying car, designed for the general public, is relatively easy to use. The owner will spend only 15 minutes learning how to operate it, the publication reported. Daily Mail .
The startup team began working on this concept in 2015. The developers were inspired by the sci-fi film “Back to the Future” by Robert Zemeckis. That year, the main character Marty McFly traveled to the future in the second part of the trilogy.
On its website, the company stated: “We provide faster and easier commutes thanks to our patented technology that lifts the vehicle without the need for runways.”
By the way, Alef Aeronautics was the first company in the world to receive a flight certificate for the Alef Model A from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States.
The main sponsor of Alef Aeronautics is billionaire investor Tim Draper, who also funded Tesla.
